Work Text:
“I think that’s the tenth time I’ve heard Mariah Carey today.” Jayce groaned as “All I want for Christmas is You” blared through the mall’s speakers.
“Nah, I swear it’s been like sixteen times.” You sighed. “At least it’s not “Santa Buddy.” You snickered, watching the rage fill Jayce’s eyes. It was quite the touchy subject over a Christmas cover.
“I will never understand. If you’re so afraid of making a song gay, maybe don’t sing a song that makes Santa a sugar daddy.”
“Who’s got a sugar daddy?” A new voice joined your duo.
A blur of blue hair entered your vision before you were swept up in a hug. Laughing lightly, you returned the hug wrapping your arms around your friend’s lanky body.
“Good evening to you too, Jinx. And Michael Bublé, if he wasn’t a coward.” You pulled away, hands on her shoulders. Remembering where you were, you raised a brow. “Wait, don’t you despise malls?”
“We don’t enjoy consumer culture.” Ekko appeared, wrapping an arm around Jinx’s neck. “But we’ve got a friend with a shop here.”
“Ah, shopping local. Makes sense…” You tapped on your chin, then lit up. “Ooh, what do they sell?”
“Are you still struggling with your boyfriend’s gift?” Jinx crossed her arms, laughing at you.
“We might have hit multiple roadblocks.” Jayce joined in the conversation, sidling up to you. “Anything would help at this point.”
Due to your previous experience with purchasing gifts for Viktor, you had attempted to get ahead this year. Though, you should’ve known your efforts would be fruitless. Asking him for a list was an impossible task. You tried, oh you tried so hard to get anything out of the man. When his leg was up for it, you would occasionally go window shopping, hoping he would appear interested in something. Turns out, he would just buy it if he wanted it.
Somehow the last three years you were granted a last minute idea, but you really wanted to try this year. It seemed like Jayce did as well. He had dealt with Viktor’s lack of wants a bit longer than you had, but he still had yet to find a system that worked. The struggle had you and Jayce at your wits end. Practically pleading for anything.
“Can’t you spend like five minutes coming up with something?” You leaned over Viktor’s desk next to him.
“I don’t understand why this is so important to you? I told you I would appreciate any gift you gave me.”
“That’s what everyone says when they don’t make a list.” You sighed, shaking your head. “And my father is a great example of not appreciating gifts. The man’s wallet was falling apart, so I got him a new one. You wanna know how many years it took for him to use it?”
“I mean if he used it, then he must’ve appreciated it.” Viktor shrugged, turning back to his schoolwork.
“It took FIVE years, Viktor! His original wallet had to split in half before he switched the new one. I doubt he even remembered I gave it to him as a gift.” You let out frustrated huff.
Turning to face you, Viktor grabbed your hands. He smiled softly up at you. “I promise, I will appreciate any gift you gave me.”
Melting into his touch, you decided to concede. “Fine. I’ll figure something out.”
“Thank you, now if I could leave me alone, that would be greatly appreciated. I’ve got a final that’s bound to give me a raging migraine soon.”
With a quick kiss to his cheek, you left him to his work. However, you were still extremely unsure about gifts. You couldn’t just settle on having him “appreciate” something. No, more was needed.
Jayce thought so as well, so you were now in a crowded mall at the height of holiday season shopping. Both of you were in and out of every store regardless of what it was. Maybe you could find a unique piece of jewelry at a boutique jeweler, or perhaps a comfy sweater at a department store. So far, your frantic search was futile. Nothing stood out to either of you.
“Our friend runs a tech shop. Lots of odds and ends. Mostly for folk that build their own PCs, but you might be able to find something.” Ekko shared with you.
“Viktor does like his tech.” You eyed Jayce who nodded in confirmation. “Well thanks for letting us know!” You turned around, then realized you had no other information about the store. Turning back, you sheepishly walked up to Ekko. “Eh, what was the name of the store?”
“Benzo’s. It’s just his name. But, he’s a cool dude. If you get anything, let him know I sent you.” With that, Ekko and Jinx made their way out of the mall. Jinx was bouncing on her toes, excitedly holding a bag of tech odds and ends.
Together, you and Jayce walked down to Benzo’s. As you made your way there you recounted the gifts you had already purchased for your loved ones.
“We got that KitchenAid attachment for your mom.” You waited for Jayce to confirm.
“Yup! She’s gonna love it!”
“Then for Cait you got…”
“A special scope for her rifle. She’s been wanting it for a while.”
“Then I got my parents that couple’s spa vouchers. My mother’s been dying to go, and my dad will pretend to not want it and enjoy it more than she does.” You snickered at your parent’s dynamic.
“Is that everyone then?”
“Seems like it, unless you’ve got a secret estranged family member hiding somewhere.” You nudged him teasingly.
“My mother made it very clear I was the only one she planned on having.” He switched to a feminine voice.“Tú eras un bebé mucho gordo. ¡Pero, tú eres mi gordito! Ningunos niños pueden competir con mi gordito.”
“Oh my god! That is not what your mom sounds like.” You rolled your eyes, letting out an amused huff.
“It’s exactly what she sounds like.” Jayce puffed out his chest with pride.
“Then I’m sure you won’t mind mimicking her voice when we visit her soon?”
Jayce deflated, eyes growing worried. “Please don’t, I already embarrass myself enough!”
“Hm. We’ll see.” You kissed his cheek, before continuing on your way.
At the very end of the south side of the mall stood Benzo’s. From the outside, it looked like any other electronics store. Some products were placed in a display window along with holiday deals signage. Opening the door, you were met with the sound of a chiming bell. A large man behind the cash register perked up.
“Good evenin’!” He shot you a jolly smile.
“Hello! Ekko sent us over. We’re gift hunting right now.” You were wondering what the name drop would do for you.
“Ekko! You friends?”
“We were teaching assistants in a few of his physics courses.” You said.
“He’s a real smart kid.” Jayce added.
“I sure hope so! I taught him everything he knows.” Benzo chuckled. “So, are ya lookin’ for anything specific?”
You looked at Jayce, he was the tech guy out of the two of you. He shrugged with an unsure face.
“Not really. We’ll just take a look around and see if something catches our eye.” You gave a polite nod to Benzo before turning to take a look at the store’s stock.
You had no idea what to look for, so you hoped Jayce would be of some assistance. As you walked through the aisles, he occasionally picked up an item or two. He would hold it up to read the packaging, then place it back. After twenty minutes of this behavior, you were ready to just call it quits. That is until…
“Bingo!” Jayce pointed at something at the end of one of the aisles. Standing before it, he smiled brightly. As giddy as a kid in a candy store. “This will be a great gift for Viktor!”
“Uh, what is it?”
“One of the greatest graphics cards on the market! I know V has been complaining about the quality on his PC for a bit. This will definitely lift his spirits!”
As Jayce reached for the final placeholder card, a hand snatched it away. Snapping your necks to catch the culprit, you watched a teenage boy race the card up to Benzo.
“Hey!” Jayce shouted after him.
The kid stuck his tongue out as he sped walked to the register. Mouths agape in shock, you continued to watch the transaction. Benzo unlocking a glass case to grab the remaining graphics card and ringing the kid up.
Both you and Jayce deflated.
“We’re never gonna find a good gift.” You muttered.
“This sucks.”
“Maybe Benzo will have another card?” You tried to find a bright side.
“I highly doubt it. The thing has been sold out online for ages. I’m surprised he even had one here to begin with.” Jayce sighed in defeat. “Face it, we’re not going to find something.”
“We can’t give up just yet.” No, you wouldn’t allow yourself to succumb to defeat. You had to find a solution. “Maybe we can grab dinner, see if we can drum up some ideas then?” You offered.
“That sounds good, I’m starving.” A loud growl came from Jayce’s stomach. His cheeks tinted pink at the sound.
Heading to a local joint, you braved the cold. Snow had begun falling, and you had not prepared your attire to fit the winter weather. With only a coat on, your hands and ears were freezing. As you briskly walked downtown, Jayce grabbed one of your hands. His hand donned a glove and was extremely warm. The tender action alone had your heart warming.
Reaching the restaurant, you were quickly seated at a booth. Once you were settled in, you blew hot air onto your hands, willing them to stop freezing.
“I told you to bring a hat and gloves.” Jayce tsked you as he looked over the menu.
“The forecast said it was a 20 percent chance of snow. Normally that means it doesn’t happen.”
“There was still a chance though?” Jayce eyed you over the menu with a knowing brow.
Rolling your eyes, you decided to leave the topic there. Not wishing to be scolded by your lover any more. Gosh, you truly loved the man. However, he wouldn’t hold back admonishing you for being careless. It was sweet, how much he cared, but a bit annoying at the same time.
Once you gave the waitress your orders, Jayce turned back to you. “So, got any ideas?”
“Not really.” You sighed, laying your chin down on the table with a scowl. “Why is this so hard?”
“Because Viktor never needs or wants anything. And when he does, he just gets it himself.”
“He needs to stop doing that around the holidays and his birthday.”
“Oh trust me, I’ve tried making him stop. But Viktor tends to do as he pleases.” Jayce leaned back against the booth, casually crossing his arms behind his head.
“Don’t act like you aren’t the same.” You pointed a finger at him.
“At least I tell you what I want.”
“Touche.”
When your food arrived, you and Jayce tried to spitball various ideas off of each other. Perhaps a group vacation? No, when Viktor wasn’t in school he worked at a lab. One that never gave him time off. Dinner and a show? Based on what touring shows and community theatres were putting on in your area, it wasn’t to Viktor’s tastes. It seemed like experiences were a no-go for the foreseeable future.
As you thought about it some more, you gazed out the window. Snow was coming down even harder now, making you concerned about your trek home. Something across the street caught your eye. A small sign was lit up with the words “Piltover Pet Rescue”. Bingo.
“Jayce, I know what the perfect gift will be.”
“I know we talked about it, but are you sure?” Jayce rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “This will be a big step…” A chime went off as you entered the shelter.
Wiping your boots off at the front door, you nodded profusely. “Absolutely positive. Viktor doesn’t outright beg, but I could tell he really wanted this when we brought it up.”
“If you say so. Though, you’re right, this could be the perfect gift for him. ” Jayce smiled at you softly.
“Aww, you’re just saying that.” You waved him off.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit.” Jayce looked at you with adoration, making your heart stutter. “I’m sure if Viktor knew how long you have spent gift hunting, he would think that was a wonderful present on its own.”
“You’ve also been helping me look for one.” You booped his nose, making him chuckle.
“Excuse me!” A woman in the shelter’s lobby interrupted your intimate moment, startling the two of you.
“S-sorry!” You shook off the brief embarrassment, walking up to the front desk. “Good evening, we were wondering if we could look at the cats up for adoption?”
Two weeks later…
Finals were finished, and you could tell. Viktor had smoothed over the rough agitated version of himself that was burdened under the pressure of exams and deadlines. Now he laid with you tangled up on the couch watching old Christmas movies.
“You know, I never noticed how dark this movie was…” Viktor looked at you expectantly.
“What, a movie where the catalyst is a man killing himself before finding the true meaning of Christmas is all sunshine and rainbows?” You teased, making chuckle softly.
“I just never thought of it that way. I remember watching it during the first Christmas I immigrated here.” He smiled at the recalled memory. “I don’t remember the full premise, it seems.”
“Really? That must’ve been a fun introduction to American Christmas.” You said sarcastically.
Viktor shrugged. “Eh, I did watch some movies before I came here. Uh…” He clicked his tongue trying to remember the title of a film. “The one with the guy from Step Brothers.”
“Elf? With Will Ferrell?” You asked, amused about Viktor’s film of reference.
“Elf, yes! That’s the one. It’s pretty good, no?”
“I think it’s funny. Pretty much a classic at this point.”
Before you could continue, Jayce burst through your apartment door. A giant box was in his arms. Without acknowledging the two of you, he ran to your bedroom, shutting and locking the door. You and Viktor looked at each other with furrowed brows of concern.
“It’s nice to see you too, babe!” You shouted from the couch before snuggling back up with Viktor.
“Sorry!” It was muffled till Jayce came out of the room. “I just have a very important gift, and you can’t see it yet.” He winked at you, making you understand immediately.
“Oh! Yeah!” You smiled brightly, turning to look at Viktor. “Wanna open presents now?”
“It’s only Christmas Eve?” He queried.
“Fine, maybe just a few. We have one you need to open tonight.” You gave Viktor pleading eyes, ones you knew he couldn’t resist.
Shaking his head with a grin, he agreed. “Very well, if you insist.”
“Yay!” You pumped your fist in the air, then hopped off the couch. “I’ll make us some cocoa!"
Cocoa in hand and a few presents before you, you let the early gift exchange commence. Jayce was ecstatic at receiving a new pair of wireless headphones and a couple of comfy sweaters. The boys got you tickets to the show of one of your favorite bands along with an overnight hotel stay in the city. Then, it was Viktor’s turn.
Jayce went into the bedroom to collect the gift. When he returned to the living room, he gently placed the box down. You could hear movement from within. Slowly lifting the lid, Viktor made anticipation grow in the room. Teeth worrying your bottom lip, you hoped you had done well.
With a gasp, Viktor muttered something in Czech as a smile grew on his face. Reaching inside the box, he pulled out a calico cat. Its fur was patterned with splotches of orange, black and white. Vibrant green eyes scanned the room, as its tail swished curiously. Laying it on his lap, Viktor stroked over the cat’s soft fur.
“Thank you.” Viktor looked up at you and Jayce teary eyed.
You and Jayce were taken aback by Viktor’s response. It was clear he was happy, but you didn’t expect him to cry.
“Apologies, I don’t mean to get too emotional.” He scritched the cat behind the ears, smiling to himself as it began to purr. “This cat just reminds me of my old cat when I was a boy.”
“You had a cat?” You never recalled Viktor ever sharing that information with you before.
“Yes. I don’t like to speak about it much. Viola had a tragic death. Escaped my Babi’s house and was hit by a car.” Viktor looked forlorn. “The resemblance to her is uncanny.” He pulled out his phone and scrolled back over years of photos in his album.
Landing on one, he showed it to you and Jayce. Viktor was right, the two cats almost looked identical based on their patterning. Perhaps it was fate that sent you to the shelter.
“What are you going to name her?”
Looking up at the television, Viktor came up with a name on the spot.
“What do you think of Bailey?” He asked you and Jayce.
“Are you really going to name your cat after a character in It’s a Wonderful Life?” You giggled, though found the decision endearing.
“I think I will. Perhaps this is me giving Viola a second chance at life, hm?” He looked down at the cat lovingly. “And it will mark the date that you brought her to me.” She lifted her head to sniff the air, crawling up Viktor’s chest before headbutting his chin.
“I think she likes it.” Jayce said, his eyes glimmering at the sight.
“Bailey, it is.” Viktor scritched her ears, then ran his hand down her back.
“We made sure to get everything in order for you. She’s already been vaccinated, and spayed a long while ago, she also got chipped as well.” You laid out the information you thought he would need, not wishing to add stress after a difficult semester. “So did we find you a good gift?”
“Indeed you did, she’s perfect!” Viktor exclaimed, running his hand gently across the cat’s back.
“Or should you say purrfect!” Jayce snickered at his own pun.
Both you and Viktor shook your heads at the man, but couldn’t hide your smiles.